As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
With recent advances in network technology and improved affordability of networking devices, information handling system users and business are increasingly implementing networks and systems (e.g., local areas networks or LANs) that utilize wireless transmissions (e.g., wireless fidelity or “Wi-Fi”) and wire-line transmissions in more than one location or in a home without the direct support of an Information Technology (IT) organization. For example, users may implement a home or business network including an information handling system and a wireless access point communicatively coupled to the information handling system. Such a network may allow an information handling system (or a user thereof) to communicate with the one or more network devices via the wireless access point or vice versa.
However, due to the increasing need to supply remote offices, home offices, and sites with a large workforce with information handling systems without the direct support of Information Technology (IT) professionals, an efficient and secure method for configuring the information handling systems is needed. While image installation and setup for experienced users has been greatly simplified with setup wizards and advances in usability features included in operating systems, there is still a need to ensure employees receive the information handling system and network configuration supported by the main office. Certain configurations are often required to ensure secure access to the main office network and to protect proprietary information. In addition, due to the size of the files, downloads of large secure files such as these within a network often restrict the bandwidth available for other users.
Accordingly, a need has arisen for secure systems and methods that allow configuration of factory delivered information handling systems without an on-site Information Technology (IT) professional.